Just like the ones I used to know
by Athos
Summary: Christmas might be the best time of the year to change things...


_**

Disclaimer:

** Neon Genesis Evangelion and/or its associated characters are property of Gainax Studios, Japan. We recognize this copyright, and, under the current laws of the Kingdom of Spain referring to Intellectual Property (Royal Decret 1/1996, April 12th), use them without permission for non-profit activities. This is a modification of the original storyline under the rights given by the article 39 of the aforementioned law. In case that Gainax Studios ask it, this story would be removed from the web. Thank you. _ _Northern Raven Studios presents: **Just like the ones I used to know **An Evangelion Christmas Fanfiction by Athos _ *** Ritsuko Akagi sat down in her chair, sobbing. She felt always dirty after met him. She always promised herself that that each time had been the last one. And each time he called her, she returned. If at least he'd show the slightly sign of love... She shook her head, her tears wiping down her skirt. If at least he were kind... She put a hand on her neck. It hurt there where the commander has showed his _'passion'_... A remind, until his return from his trip to the United States and he called her again. She was a fool, she thought. Like her mother before her. But she couldn't help but return to his side each time he called her. Ritsuko leant her head on her arms and started to cry. Her office was down in the Dogma Terminal, so nobody could hear her. Nobody, except for the man standing outside of the office. The man stood in front of the door for several minutes, frowning. Finally, he decided not to enter, and turned away, his silhouette hidden in the dark shadows of the corridor. 

***

It was Christmas! For the first time since the Second Impact, it was snowing over New Tokyo 3. The snow had started to fall three days ago, and now a white blanket covered the city. For the first time in years, the child were playing in the street, making snowmen, snow fortress... All except snow angels. The laughs and yells filled the city, soaring the hearts of the brave people of the rebuilt city. Even Angels' menace seemed something far and strange, now. Because... It was Christmas! Even in Nerv's headquarters was Christmas. Kouzou Fuyutsuki raised an eyebrow when he saw the Christmas tree in the middle of the Command Center, decorated with balls, candles and a shining star in the top. Bright lights turned on and off each few seconds, and a sweet melody could be heard in all the room. "White Christmas? What does this mean, Miss Ibuki?" he asked, looking to the young officer who was hanging more balls in the tree. She hadn't heard Fuyutsuki entering the room, so she gasped and dropped the box with Christmas' stuff she was carrying. She turned slowly, her cheeks red as cherries. "I...SubCommander Fuyutsuki... I thought that... Itwouldbenice," Maya mumbled quickly to her mouth. She was looking to the floor, embarrassed. "Hmpf. I see," he groaned. Fuyutsuki chuckled softly, amused. After all, it was Christmas. And Gendo was outside; it couldn't harm anybody. "Merry Christmas, Maya." She looked to him, confused, and then she smiled warmly. "Marry Christmas, sir!" she said, cheery. Shaking his head, Fuyutsuki sit down in his chair and started to read the reports. Since the destruction of the Ninth Angel had passed three peaceful months , and it seemed that the daily life was returning to what used to be before of the arrival of the Angels. Gendo had assured him that the Tenth Angel would take a long time to come, and he was so convinced that he had left to the United States to check the status of the units 03 and 04, leaving him in command. Somehow, Fuyutsuki doubted that Maya might have dare to put a Christmas tree in the headquarters with Gendo in the city. Since it remained three days till Christmas' Day everybody was trying to finish his work to go out and make the last buys, so the headquarters were almost empty. In the Command Center only were Maya, Aoba, Ritsuko and three technicians doing a repair in the MAGI under her supervision. Shigeru Aoba looked at the blonde woman. He felt a hint of regret for not talk to her. It wasn't fair. Nobody would have to be alone in Christmas, he thought. And it wasn't like Akagi was ugly or something like that. So, why not... Finally, something broke inside him and raised up, heading to the chair where Ritsuko was sat... Only to be intercepted by Fuyutsuki's frowning face. "Sub-Commander!" said Aoba. "Yes. I have a special job for you, Lieutenant." "Yes, sir!" replied Aoba, standing firmly. "I'm going to tell you what I want..." Fuyutsuki frowned while he saw Aoba blinking, surprised as he heard his request. He had to make a great effort to not burst in laughs. The face of the young officer was a poem. "But sir, I..." "Haven't I explained well, Lieutenant?" replied the oldest man. "Crystal, sir," sighed Aoba. "Then what are you doing yet here?" Aoba saluted and went out of the room, shaking his head. Fuyutsuki chuckled, sitting down again in the desk, where Gendo usually was. He couldn't help but put his crossed hands in front of his face, like Gendo did. _'Maybe it's the chair,'_ he thought, trying to hide his smile. _'Well, the second stage of the plan is starting.'_ He looked at his clock, still ten minutes until Aoba accomplished his task. Shrugging, he picked up some reports and started to reading then. Fuyutsuki looked again to the clock. Three minutes, if Aoba was on schedule. He frowned as he read a strange lecture in the harmonic test of the Third Child. Exactly what he needed, he thought. "Doctor Akagi, please, could you come here?" he said, looking at the papers. Ritsuko approached the desk. "What happens?" "Ah, I'm worried for these results. Is Shinji well?" he replied. Ritsuko shrugged. "I think that it isn't nothing serious. This morning, Shinji seemed to be very Nervous, but I've seen him at the afternoon, and he was normal. Shinji was worried for something, but he solved it, he told me without being specific. I'd say that in the next test the lectures will come back to normal," said Ritsuko. Fuyutsuki frowned. "Well, if you say that..." The phone rang, interrupting him. He sighed. "It's Fuyutsuki." "..." "Ah, it's you. What happens?" "..." "Really? Oh. Are you sure?" he said, disappointed. "..." "It's a pity. Well, maybe in New Year's Eve?" "..." "I'll take your word. I'll call you tomorrow, darling." "..." "Bye," he said, hanging the telephone. "Damn!" Ritsuko looked at him, curious. Noticing the woman's gaze, Fuyutsuki smiled. "It's nothing. I had a reservation made for dinner tonight, but she couldn't come. Bah." "I'm sorry, sir." "No, don't worry. But it is a very good restaurant, and it's a pity to lose the reserve. Well, these things happens sometimes, don't they?" shrugged Fuyutsuki. "I guess that," smiled Ritsuko, turning back to return to her computer. "Hmpf. Uh, Doctor Akagi?" "Yes?" "I... Do you have something planned tonight?" "Not really, until Katsuragi returned from Matsushiro Labs for Christmas' Day. Why?" "Well, I was wondering... Would you like to dinner with me, tonight? I hate to dinner alone, and I wouldn't want to have made the reserves for nothing." Ritsuko blinked, surprised. She tried to think in any reason to refuse, but finally she smiled. "Why not?" "Excellent! At eight o'clock, maybe?" She nodded. The smiled of Fuyutsuki went wider. "Well, I'll pick up you at eight, then." He followed the woman with the gaze while she went out of the room, crossing in her way with Aoba, who ran towards the desk of the old professor. "I did as you want, sir," he said. "Indeed. Now listen to me, Lieutenant Aoba. This information has become top secret. If you tell what you have done to somebody, I'll transfer you to Nerv-Iceland. Am I understood?" said Fuyutsuki menacingly. Aoba gulped. "Yes, sir." "Dismissed, Lieutenant," replied Fuyutsuki, getting up. "Miss Ibuki, is the MAGI surveillance system working?" "Yes, sir!" replied Maya. "Then everybody is dismissed. Merry Christmas." he said, walking out the room, escorted by a _'Merry Christmas, sir!'_ chorus. The door closed behind him. "All is going according to the scenario," he whispered. 

***

Three hours later, Fuyutsuki looked at his reflex in the crystal of Ritsuko's building. _'Not bad at all,'_ he thought, grinning. And it was true. In despite of his fifty-eight years Kouzou Fuyutsuki still had a good presence, improved by the elegant blue suit he was wearing. "Well, let's start Phase Three," he chuckled, pressing the doorbell. He smiled at the small camera in the door. _"Ah, come in, sir,"_ answered the electronic voice of Ritsuko. Fuyutsuki took the elevator, whistling. When he arrived to the floor where Ritsuko lived, he found the apartment's door opened. He stopped at the entry, hesitant. "May I come in?" he asked to the air. Ritsuko answered him from somewhere in the house. "Oh, please, come in. Just a minute." Fuyutsuki entered the small apartment. As everybody does in a unknown house, he started to look at the photographs and books in the living room. Not surprisingly, he found several pictures of Misato and Ritsuko, and one of Ritsuko's mother, Naoko. He stared at it, lost in the memories, until something touched him in the leg. Ritsuko's cat was purring against his leg. Fuyutsuki leaned and caught the cat, a small and black one. Hanging from his neck was a plaque where the pet's name could be read. "Fluffy?" he muttered. "Somehow, I'm not surprised. Hi, Fluffy." "I see that you've met Fluffy," said Ritsuko from his back. Fuyutsuki nodded and started to turn back, ready to compliment her whatever her dress were. But he couldn't. Making a desperate effort to keep his jaw in position, Fuyutsuki lost the words when he saw the scientist. He had used to saw her wearing a not very attractive white coat, but the blonde woman was now wearing a black and tight dress, which revealed nothing but suggested many, many things. Ritsuko smiled pleased when she saw Fuyutsuki gulp. "Ah... nice dress..." he managed to say. "Thank you, sir," replied Ritsuko, blushing. "Please, call me Kouzou," smiled Fuyutsuki. "Of course... Kouzou. But only if you called me Ritsuko. When people call me Doctor Akagi I think that my mother is behind me." "Ritsuko, then. Shall we go?" said Fuyutsuki. "Oh, yes. Only a moment," she said, disappearing again in the apartment. Fuyutsuki looked at the cat in his hands. "Such a dress wasn't in the schedule, Fluffy. But it doesn't matter. All is going according to the plan." Fluffy mewed in approval and jumped off Fuyutsuki's hands, running for the kitchen and passing between Ritsuko's legs, who came back wearing a long coat over the dress. "I'm ready." "Let's go, then. I hope you like French 'cuisine'." "Sure! I've had more than enough of Nerv's food," she replied. "That's because I ordered to use the remains of the Angels to make it, in order to save funds," said Fuyutsuki, opening the door. "What!?... Oh, you're kidding. You scared me for a moment." "Who says I was kidding? Didn't you find this week's meat spicy? I think that the cook is still using that corrosive acid to make his sauces." Ritsuko entered the elevator laughing. Fuyutsuki grinned, satisfied, and followed her. 

***

The restaurant was crowded, but when the maître saw the impressive ID card of Fuyutsuki he found instantly a table for two in the better zone of the restaurant. Two waitresses were waiting, and Fuyutsuki surprised Ritsuko addressing them in French. "I didn't know that you'd speak French," she said. "Oh, that," shrugged Fuyutsuki. "When I was in the university, I stayed one year in Paris, as part of an exchange program." "Why did you leave the university?" she asked. "I've heard that you had a good position in Tokyo 2. Good enough to be even the next principal." "Ah, well. Yes, but... I don't know. I wanted to know the truth behind the Second Impact. Besides, Gendo convinced me," he said, noticing the frown in her face as she heard his name. He took note of that. "And you? Why did you start to work for Nerv?" "Because my mother was in Gehirn. And I thought that it would be a good opportunity to... know her. But I was wrong," she sighed. "Her death was a tragedy," he said, although he knew who was the responsible of the suicide of Naoko Akagi. He was going to say something more, but the arrival of the food interrupted him. Ritsuko started then a shallow conversation, talking about Nerv, the city, the Children... Until she stopped, and looked down. "You know it, don't you?" she asked, with shame. Fuyutsuki knew what was she talking about. "Yes," he said, softly. "I guess that all the crew is aware, also." Fuyutsuki coughed, embarrassed. "Not really." She looked surprised. "No?" "No... err... you'll see. Everybody thinks that... err... how to say it?" "Say it." "Ahem... Maya is your... lover." he said, trying to appear innocent, and waiting for her rage outburst. But he didn't expect her to start to laugh. "Maya? Why?" "Don't ask me," replied Fuyutsuki, relieved. She shook her head, serious again. "Since when you know Gendo?" "I met him for the first time seventeen years ago, when he asked me to pay his bail." "A bail?" asked Ritsuko, puzzled. "Yes. Gendo had been involved, or provoked, a tavern fight. He had heard talk about me, but I don't know why he thought at me to answer for him. Notwithstanding, I lost contact with him, until he started to go out with one of my pupils, Yui Ikari." "Yui..." said bitterly Ritsuko. "The original responsible of the project... She was a great scientist, wasn't she?" "Yes, and also a great woman. She surprised me when she told me that Gendo was his boyfriend." "Why?" "I didn't trust him, at that moment," shrugged Fuyutsuki. _'Neither now,'_ he thought. "And Yui didn't seem to be the kind of girl that could be attracted by such a guy." "He cannot forget her," she said with sadness. Fuyutsuki looked at her. "Listen to me, Ritsuko. I don't know what your feelings about Gendo are, but if you want to hear the advice of an old man, forget him. I cannot stand see you sad." "It's easy to say. But one has always hope. I always say to myself that every time is the last time, but I always think 'Maybe the next time could be different'," she said softly. "I'm a fool. Just like my mother before me..." "You're not your mother, Ritsuko. Don't commit the same mistakes than her," said Fuyutsuki. "He wouldn't let me go." "You know that he needs you. He couldn't do anything." "It is not easy to change." "Maybe not. But look, it's Christmas, and soon will be New Year's Eve. A good time to change," said Fuyutsuki tenderly, grabbing one of her hands. A single tear was falling for her cheek, across the lunar in her face. Fuyutsuki raised the other hand and dried it. "And don't cry. It doesn't worth it." "Thank you." she looked at him, smiling. 

***

The night wasn't cold, although the snow crackled under their steps. The stars were shining, and the snow seemed to bright under their light. Ritsuko stared at a snowman that the children had done, smiling. "Did you remember the snow?" asked Fuyutsuki, following his gaze. She laughed. "Of course. You know, I was fifteen in 2000." "Hmpf. I'd must have known you were so old," he said, grinning. She grabbed a snowball and launched it to him, smacking him in the chest. "Stupid," she said, in absolute angry. "Yeah? So..." The ring of his cell phone interrupted him. Muttering, he answered it. "Fuyutsuki." "..." Fuyutsuki's jaw dropped. "Are you sure, Sergeant?" "..." "Well, well... Where?" "..." He raised his gaze, looking around. "Really?" "..." "No, don't disturb them. And consider this like the official report," he said, hanging the cell phone. "Who would say it?" "What?" asked Ritsuko, intrigued. He grinned. "You'd never guess it," he said, shaking his head. "What? Oh, come on, Kouzou." "Let's walk. I know now why Shinji was so Nervous. You have three chances." he said, teasingly. "It's nothing serious, isn't it?" she asked. He denied with the head and raised three fingers. "I don't know... Uh, he is doing of Santa Claus in a nursery?" He laughed and let fall one finger. "Oh, come on. I really don't know!" she said, pouting a little. "You can see it now. Look at that." Ritsuko looked where Fuyutsuki was pointing, and her jaw dropped to the floor. Shinji and Rei were walking for the street, holding hands. Rei, for once, had left her school uniform and was wearing a long red and white dress over a black blouse. She was looking at a heavily blushed Shinji, who was talking. When they passed next to them, Fuyutsuki coughed, amused. Shinji raised the gaze, looked at him and continued talking. Then, the tiny part of his brain that wasn't busy complimenting Rei become aware of what he had seen, and he froze. He stopped and started to stutter. "This is... isn't... I mean..." "SubCommander. Doctor Akagi," said Rei. "Hi, Rei," answered Ritsuko, ignoring Shinji's babbling. "Are you having a good night?" "Very good," replied Rei, still holding Shinji's hand. "Shinji has asked me to dinner with him. And we have gone to watch a film." "Ah, excellent," said Fuyutsuki. Ritsuko decided to keep teasing him, Misato's style, while Shinji still tried to find an explanation, . "So he is Shinji, now. Not Ikari." Rei nodded. "Yes. Since he has asked me to be his girlfriend, I find Ikari too much formal." Then Shinji tried to melt with the floor, looking like all his blood was in his face. Fuyutsuki chuckled. He could swear that Rei was amused with Shinji's embarrassment. "I guess he is walking you home, right?" Rei nodded. "Well, then it's all right. Only remember this, Shinji. Section 2 is watching over you. Do something stupid -you know what I mean- and I'll send you to make seasonal maneuvers to Iceland with your Evangelion. Have a nice time, couple." Shaking his head, Shinji continued walking, muttering something. Fuyutsuki and Ritsuko looked at the couple in their way to Rei's building, and they could still hear Rei asking Shinji: _"What did Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki mean by 'something stupid', Shinji?" "Ah... I'll explain it to you another day, Rei-chan..."_ Fuyutsuki laughed, amused. He looked at Ritsuko, who was staring at the walking couple with a strange look in her face. She bit her lip. "Gendo won't be happy with that," she said. Fuyutsuki shrugged. "Oh, don't worry about that. I'll take care of the matter," he replied, starting to walk again. "You have changed, Kouzou. First with Maya's tree, later inviting me to dinner. And now this. What has happened?" He shrugged again. "I'm getting old, and I don't want to be merely Gendo's shadow. Besides, it's Christmas, isn't it? It's the better time of year to make changes. Remember that, Ritsuko." "I'll do." "Ah, we've arrived," he said, pointing to Ritsuko's apartment. "Ah... Would you want to come in... I mean..." she blushed. Fuyutsuki smiled. "If you want another advice of an old man, don't mess more your life. Good night, Rits..." He was turning back to go away, but Ritsuko grabbed his arm. The momentum made her body to lean against him, her face only ten centimeters from his. Fuyutsuki's heart skipped a beat when he saw the bright green eyes of Ritsuko staring at him, her red lips half opened. Her heart resounded heavily against his chest, making his knees go weaker with each beat. He could smell her soft perfume and feel her warm breath against his face. It was an intoxicating scent. Fuyutsuki gulped as she passed a hand for his grey hair. "I'd just wish... to thank you..." she breathed seductively, closing her eyes and tilting her head... Also did he... 

***

Fuyutsuki was whistling while he walked back to his house. After all, everything was going on schedule. Only remained wait for Gendo's return, and take care of his early reactions, and the third stage of the plan would be done. He jumped over a ice plaque in the street, still wondering what could have happened if he would have kissed Ritsuko on her lips. _'God knows that have passed a couple of years since the last time,'_ he thought. "...but it's better in this way. Ah, Fluffy, you're a little lucky bastard," he laughed. And it was true: DID he was. Fluffy was sleeping comfortably snuggled between Ritsuko's breasts. For the first time in years, Ritsuko Akagi was sleeping peacefully, without tears before sleep, and with a smile in her lips. 

***

Three days later, all the personnel of Nerv sighed when Gendo returned from his trip, dismissing Fuyutsuki from the command. Maya retrieved the Christmas tree from the Command Center, shrugging. It had been nice, but everything has an end. Gendo adopted his standard position in his desk and looked at Fuyutsuki. "So, what happened in my absence?" he asked coldly. "Uh? Nothing really important. Routine." "Well. All is going according to the schedule," He replied, getting up from the chair. "I'm going to see Doctor Akagi. I need to discuss several technical reports with her." Fuyutsuki coughed, trying to hide his smile. "Alright. I must go away in a while, anyway." "Why?" "Oh, Major Katsuragi has invited me to her Christmas Party. I think it would be nice," replied Fuyutsuki. Gendo frowned, showing clearly his disapproval, but he didn't say anything and walked out of the room. Fuyutsuki shook his head, and headed for the dressing room, to pull out his uniform. After a shower and a change of clothes, he went out and picked a elevator. Unaware of his presence, two guards were talking nervously. "Did you see Commander Ikari?" "No. Why?" "He has been slapped by..." Fuyutsuki put one hand in the shoulder of each man. "He didn't see it. Neither you, and you didn't know either who slapped him, unless you want a instant relocation to Iceland." The two soldiers gulped hard and muttered something affirmative. "Well then, gentlemen. Merry Christmas," he said, departing the elevator. When the door closed behind him, leaving two scared guards in the elevator, Fuyutsuki started to laugh like he hadn't laugh in years; and his laugh keep resounding in the corridor time after he had gone. Outside of the Geofront Ritsuko was waiting for him. She smiled when she saw him. "...Thank you... for everything," she whispered, kissing him in the cheek. He chuckled. "Well, I'd bet that he didn't expect that. Shall we go? I guess that Katsuragi will want everybody on time." She nodded, and both started to walk for the white streets. Tenderly, the first snowflakes of Christmas' Day started to fall over them. From the windows of the buildings could be seen bright lights, and the laughs and songs of the people sounded all over the city. After all... It was Christmas! Gendo looked at the tree of life drawn in the ceiling of his office. He frowned and scratched his cheek, where the red silhouette of a hand was clearly marked. "That wasn't in the schedule," he groaned. 

**The End?**

Deep in the facilities of Nerv-Iceland... "You know what, Sidjar?" asked Gunnar. "What?" "We're probably the luckiest men in the face of Earth, dude," said Gunnar from his hot bath. "Yep. It's weird. I bet that every Nerv technician in the world would want to be transferred here," replied Sidjar from another. "Well, time to go back to work. Check the status." "Yes, dude," replied Sidjar, picking up a portable computer. "All is green," he said leaving the computer again on the floor. "And now what?" "Oh, I don't know. Maybe a massage?" "Before the dinner? Why not?" _^_^ _

**End. _Author's Notes___** This was my entry to the Ryoma's Christmas Contest 2002. It ended the last, but it isn't strange when you read the wonderful entries that were submitted to the contest. My greetings to the winners! Anyway, I'm not disgusted. I had an enormous fun writting this, and that is better that any prize. On the fic itself, there's not much things I could say. Obviously, the tytle cames from that Christmas carol 'White Christmas', and I have to thank Mark for his suggestion about the apparition of Shinji&Rei. I picked the name 'Fluffly' from somewhere, but I cannot remember where. Any hint? If you know it, I'll give you a cookie. Complains, comments and donations of Guiness frozen beer can be sent to sueve@asturies.org I love you all. **Athos **


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